Two Spaniards killed in Afghan 'terrorist' shooting - Summary

Wed, 25 Aug 2010

Kabul/Madrid - An Afghan police driver shot dead two Spanish police trainers and an interpreter before being killed by NATO security forces inside a base in north-western Afghanistan, Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Wednesday.

Rubalcaba described the killing as a premeditated terrorist attack. He said he was unable to confirm reports that the Taliban were behind it.

The driver fired at the police officers with an assault rifle when they were instructing their Afghan colleagues in the capital of Badghis province, Qala-I-Naw.

Rubalcaba identified the killer as the driver of one of the slain police officers. The interpreter who was also killed was identified as a Spaniard of Iranian origin.

The killer was gunned down by Spanish police officers who witnessed the shooting.

Deputy Governor Haji Abdul Qami Sabir confirmed that two Spanish soldiers were killed when an Afghan policeman opened fire on the troops.

The Spanish victims were members of the paramilitary police force Civil Guard. Their names were given as captain Jose Maria Galera Cordoba and second lieutenant Abraham Leoncio Bravo Picayo. Both were 33 years old, according to Spanish government sources.

NATO confirmed the incident later on Wednesday, saying that an Afghan policeman, two international service members and a civilian had been killed.

The incident sparked angry reactions from hundreds of demonstrators who attempted to storm the Spanish-manned NATO camp, witness reports said.

The residents protested at the Provincial Reconstruction Team's base after allegations that foreign troops had shot and killed an Afghan policeman, Mohammed Rahim told the German Press Agency dpa.

"Firing is continuing in the city, everyone is escaping, and thousands of people are trying to attack the Spanish PRT base," he said.

Spanish government sources initially denied that the demonstrators tried to storm the base, but Rubalcaba said the Afghan army had repelled such an attempt.

The protestors wanted the body of the slain Afghan police officer, Spanish government sources said, explaining that an Afghan judge had entered the base in order to authorize the handover of the remains.

Spain has about 1,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of ISAF. Ninety-two Spaniards who were sent to Afghanistan have been killed, including 62 who died in a plane crash in Turkey in 2003.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/340973,terrorist-shooting-summary.html.